Since
September 2001, public focus on airline security has been on the passenger side
of the "house," but ALPA has had a long-standing involvement in cargo issues as
well. Two actions this spring will serve to deepen that involvement and
strengthen our collective voice on issues of cargo safety and security.

Gemini Air Cargo pilots voted for ALPA representation in mid-March, and as
this issue reaches you, the ALPA Executive Board is expected to approve the
merger with the FedEx Pilots Association.

Cargo and mail pilots have a special place in ALPA’s history. Many airlines
that operated in 1931, when pilots formed this union, got their start carrying
mail and packages. In fact, most of the early U.S. airline industry’s revenue
was based on federal mail contracts. Early air mail carriers, in their quest for
revenue at any cost, were notorious for pushing their pilots into the skies when
pilot fatigue, weather, mechanical problems, and good common sense should have
kept the airplanes on the ground.

Since those days, we have seen major improvements in airplane technology,
navigation, pilot training, and safety—improvements that we either helped
develop or forced on the industry through our work agreements; but cargo airline
management philosophy has not shown much progress. Managements’ attitude still
seems to be based on the false premise that cargo pilots don’t need the safety
equipment, aircraft maintenance inspection, or flight-time/duty-time protections
provided pilots whose airlines rely on passengers for revenue.

We strongly disagree.

ALPA members began to push for One Level of Safety in 1992. Our goal was to
improve safety regulations for operations of carriers with small transport
airplanes, then not covered under FAR Part 121. In 1994, when we launched a
formal awareness campaign, we expressed concern that cargo and supplemental
carriers were being treated differently even though we all share the same
air-space and airports. We asked for a notice of proposed rule-making mandating
TCAS for freighters. ALPA’s campaign for a fair regulation limiting flight and
duty time and providing rest requirements was aimed at the needs and safety of
all pilots, but cargo and supplemental carriers were the worst offenders
in this form of pilot-pushing.

FedEx opened a base at Subic Bay in the Philippine Islands a few years ago
and claimed its pilots domiciled there were not covered by Railway Labor Act
protections. On behalf of all pilots, we disagreed. Management of that cargo
carrier contended that its pilots were subject to the local labor laws of
whatever country they operate in. This is not acceptable. The FedEx pilots
subsequently worked out an agreement that, at least on paper, has management
treating the Philippine-based pilots as though they are based in Memphis, Tenn.

Immediately after the terrorist attacks on 9/11, ALPA representatives began
hammering the Administration and Congress about loopholes in airport and
airplane security, some of which are a direct result of enforcing different
rules and requirements for cargo and supplemental carriers than those applied to
passenger carriers. Calling for one level of security, we made certain during
face-to-face meetings with Transportation Security Administration Director John
Magaw that cargo airline security concerns carried the same weight as those of
passenger carriers. At this meeting, we discussed issues that affect all
pilots, including airport access control and ID verification, ineffective
security ID display areas that local authorities control, jumpseat rider
identity verification, guns in the cockpit, and ALPA’s help in obtaining
appropriate funding levels for TSA and for specific security programs.

Last fall, cargo carrier managers contended that their companies were not
required to meet the new security standards. Again, we disagreed. ALPA insisted
and eventually convinced the Department of Transportation that congressionally
mandated security measures for reinforced cockpit doors must include cargo
airplanes. The FAA swiftly acted to clarify that all airline cockpit
doors were to be strengthened and retrofitted before April 2003.

ALPA pilots and staff have actively participated in the NTSB investigation of
the February 2000 Emery Flight 017 accident and mediation with Emery management
after it decided to shut the airline down following FAA concerns about the
airline’s safety operations. The NTSB has scheduled a public hearing on the
Emery 017 investigation for May 9–10 and another on cargo operations safety
later this summer.

We strongly contend that achieving One Level of Safety and One Level of
Security for all airlines—jet or turboprop, passenger or cargo, scheduled or
supplemental operations—is the way to ensure that our skies are safer for all.